|
New Zealand women have picked a spin-heavy T20I line-up for their Australia tour, which will be further strengthened at the Women's World T20 in the West Indies in November. With spin expected to play a major role on the slow pitches in the Caribbean, New Zealand picked five spin-bowling options, including their new captain Amy Satterthwaite, in a 13-member squad for the three T20Is in Australia, and Anna Peterson - also a spinner - and Hannah Rowe will be added for the Women's World T20. The five spinners include Amelia Kerr, Leigh Kasperek, Satterthwaite, Jess Watkin and Maddy Green. "We are blessed with a group of versatile cricketers and know that spin should play a large part in the Caribbean, especially with the slower nature of the pitches over there," head coach Haidee Tiffen said. This will be Satterthwaite's first assignment in charge of the side in T20s, after she replaced Suzie Bates recently, although she has led the team in three ODIs previously, the last of which came against Ireland. "Amy is a highly experienced cricketer with over 200 international matches under her belt. She has taken the captaincy in her stride and as a team we are looking forward to getting stuck into some competitive cricket against the old foe Australia," Tiffen said. New Zealand enter the Australia series having won the last three bilateral T20I series against them. Ahead of the tour, they had a four-day preparatory camp in Lincoln, where they combined skillwork with three "highly competitive matches". "We learnt more about our players at camp, and with two of the practice matches going down to the final ball we were able to see how players reacted in different pressure situations," Tiffen said. The three-match T20I series starts on September 29 in Sydney, from where the teams will head to Brisbane and Canberra. This will be followed by the Women's World T20 in the West Indies, where New Zealand play the tournament opener against India on November 9. T20I squad for Australia: Amy Satterthwaite (capt), Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Sophie Devine, Kate Ebrahim, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Katey Martin, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin Squad for Women's World T20: Amy Satterthwaite (capt), Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Sophie Devine, Kate Ebrahim, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Katey Martin, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin, Anna Peterson, Hannah Rowe
|
